El Monte Union’s Nutrition Services Department has been recognized by Tyson Foods for its chicken ramen noodle soup recipe, one of five winning recipes in a national contest to highlight innovative K-12 menu items shared by school district employees across the United States. The recipe, submitted by Nutrition Coordinator Toni Fu, is a grab-and-go item prepared for the District’s meal distribution and is featured on the Tyson website.
Eddie Gonzalez, the creator of the Netflix show “On My Block” and Lynwood High School alumnus, will make a virtual return to Lynwood High School to share his journey to becoming a screenwriter and producer with students during the school’s Virtual Career Day. Gonzalez will serve as the event’s keynote speaker and inspire students to embrace their creativity and follow their own paths to success. “On My Block” is a successful coming of age story that explores life in South Central Los Angeles for four teenagers – particularly its Afro-Latina female lead. Gonzalez’s writing credits also include the hit show “Empire” and the film “All Eyez on Me.”
California High School senior Bryant Mendez Melchor is one step closer to fulfilling his dream of attending an elite university after receiving a $40,000 College Board Opportunity Scholarship, awarded to just 25 students from across the country. Bryant Mendez, a high-achieving scholar with a 4.55 GPA, will attend Stanford University and major in computer science. As a first-generation American, Mendez’s determination to succeed is inspired by his family and a deep compassion for helping others.
Lynwood Unified administered the Oath of Office to newly appointed Board member Julian Del Real-Calleros who was selected during a special meeting on April 8 to review applicants for the open Board seat. Del Real-Calleros was one of seven applicants who appeared before the District’s Board of Education, and the Lynwood community watching via livestream, and was voted in to replace recently retired Board member Alma-Delia Renteria.
Sierra Vista High School sophomore Zihua Yu and freshman Melina Estrada were recognized for their excellence displayed in the bilingual education essay contest, winning first place among high school students in the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) and the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) student essay contests.
Monrovia Unified Partners with Nonprofit for NASA Nutrition Program
Bradoaks Elementary Science Academy is participating in NASA’s “Plant the Moon” challenge, through a partnership with the nonprofit Food ED. Bradoaks students will assist Food ED associates in an experiment to grow vegetables in artificial moon dust. The experiment aims to help NASA scientists learn the best lunar conditions for growing crops. The challenge, sparked by NASA’s new initiative to return to the moon, will explore ways to feed those who will one day visit the moon.
Whittier Union High School District students, carrying colorful posters with messages of encouragement, returned to campus beginning on April 6 and continuing throughout the week, marking the beginning of the District’s reopening for in-person instruction. Students, lined up six feet apart, were excitedly greeted by teachers, administrators, and staff, many of whom were meeting their students for the first time. Students underwent health screenings and temperature checks prior to entering campus.
Fontana Unified students in transitional kindergarten through second grade were greeted by cheerful signs, lively music and friendly faces as they returned to campus for their first days of in-person instruction on April 5. Instruction is offered in a hybrid model with three cohorts of students; Cohorts A and B receive a blend of in-person and online instruction, while students in Cohort C remain in full distance learning. TK-2 student cohorts were welcomed back to campus on April 5 and 8; grades three to five will return on Monday, April 12 and Thursday, April 15. The District’s return to in-person instruction for elementary students was supported by comprehensive health and safety measures, including weekly testing, partnerships to provide COVID-19 vaccines and advanced cleaning technologies. Photos are available.
Whittier Union High School District announced the first phase of scheduled facilities upgrades and improvements from the $183 million Measure AA bond, passed by voters last November, providing structural relief and security enhancement for each of the District’s comprehensive high schools. Roughly one-third of the bonds issued – $50 million – has been earmarked for 16 projects designed to modernize schools and District structures, improve energy efficiency, and provide increased access to technology. The initial round of improvements and construction, which began in January, is slated to proceed through June 2025.
Río Hondo College student Kimberly Yanez carefully measured out seven grams of dry hops into a glass beaker, the first step in a classic formula for converting processed grains into a liquid wort before placing it into a fermenter, ultimately becoming a delicious British ale. The lesson in microbrewing is part of Río Hondo College’s new introductory level biotech course, Fermentation Technology. Inspired by the ever-expanding craft beer industry, Fermentation Technology is the first class of its kind offered by a Southern California community college, with the goal of training the next generation of professional microbrewers.
